


Three Ways

by wneleh



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Friendship, Gen, High School, post-college
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-22
Updated: 2016-08-22
Packaged: 2018-08-10 09:12:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7839019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wneleh/pseuds/wneleh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Three vignettes showing love three different ways.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Three Ways

**Author's Note:**

> Yesterday, the wonderful bromenia posted [several written snapshots demonstrating Rhett's love for Link](http://brohemia.tumblr.com/post/149268457027/consider-link-grabbing-at-rhetts-shirt-so-he-can) to tumblr. This is my response; except, longer, Link-centric, and gen :-).

1\. Guitar

Link has been carrying the guitar all day. On the bus, through the halls of Harnett Central between classes, to Rhett’s basketball practice. All day, kids have been asking him how good he is, whether he’d play something for them, and all day he’s smiled and said, “Maybe someday.” But the truth is, he’s all thumbs, or, maybe, all big toes, and after a month of getting nowhere he and Rhett have decided to try something new.

Finally, after Coach dismisses the team, he and Rhett walk into the band room and Link locks the door, to the bemused chuckle of the band teacher. Only then, where no one else can see, is it safe for Rhett to handle something not a pencil or a basketball, and Link finally hands the guitar over. 

2\. Food Court

Link doesn’t understand what the big deal is, why Rhett’s been resisting taking the kids to the new mall food court with the central play area. It seems like a perfect place for a rainy North Carolina January Saturday. Lando’s found stuff to sit and bang on, there’s a slide that two-year-old Sheppard can handle, and there are plenty of things for Lincoln and Locke to jump off of. Even Lily, usually too grown-up for whatever the boys are doing, has gotten into the spirit, directing what they should try next.

It’s all great, but Rhett keeps on getting absorbed by the music video they’re story-boarding, then looking up in a panic. This is why I do the driving, Link muses, jokes about being a space cadet, and me and sharp objects, aside. “They’re right there,” Link finally says, “they’re RIGHT THERE. I can count to five, okay?” “Is that how you do it?” Rhett asks. “That’s how you keep track?” “Yes, of course,” says Link. “I’ve got this.” 

3\. Contract

Link’s been content to ride the rhythm of Rhett’s various enthusiasms for as long as he can remember. But one thing has always been a constant – just when Link really gets into something, really starts enjoying it, really gets GOOD, Rhett’s attention wanders to the next opportunity, the next shiny thing. That’s been the scariest part about quitting his IBM job – what if Rhett woke up one morning and decided he was done with trying to make a living out of what was, Link had to admit, pretty silly stuff, sometimes working for pretty cheesy people.

Now they had the opportunity to move to California and make a go of things for real… and Rhett was suddenly talking about the wonders of franchise ownership, fast food or test prep or maybe while-you-wait oil changes. Or maybe they could go into engineering consulting – they could even do it TOGETHER, make their own rules, set their own hours…

Link was not going to let this happen. They were going to own convenience stores or a laundromat chain over his dead body.

Their storefront studio only has one table; today they’re on opposite sides of it. Link slides the papers across to Rhett. “I’ve signed the contract for both of us,” he says. “And Christy and I helped Jessie choose a place and fronted her the security deposit, so that you wouldn’t notice the money gone until it was too late. We’re moving to California and we’re going to make that damn show for that damn network, the best we know how. You can’t back out.”

This is a lie, of course.

Rhett looks up from the papers and there are tears in his eyes. “Okay,” he says.

* * * THE END * * *

**Author's Note:**

> The first scenario, Guitar, is completely made up, but I'd love to hear the origin story of Rhett's first instrument. 
> 
> The second scenario, Food Court, is a rif on Rhett's comments in [Food Court Nightmare](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpp9dWX6duk) about how stressful he found a mall food court to be when soloing with his sons. Really, they're not that bad. 
> 
> The third scenario, Contract, is completely made up; but I'd have loved to have been a fly on the wall while they were working everything out!


End file.
